Conscience Regulations: A Christmas Gift We’ll Have to Fight to Keep

It is obvious that no one should be forced to have an abortion, but just as clear is that no one in the medical profession should be forced to perform an abortion in violation of their conscience.

The Bush administration on Thursday issued a rule that expands protections for health care workers who elect not to offer or participate in certain procedures, such as abortion, because of moral objections, the AP/Denver Post reports (Freking, AP/Denver Post, 12/18). Under the new “right of conscience” rule, any worker with a “reasonable” connection to the delivery of health care — including employees who clean equipment — can refuse to take part in services such as abortion, dispensing birth control drugs and other forms of contraception, or offering advice about such services.

These regulations will enforce three statutes-the Church, Coats, and Weldon Amendments that are already on the books that protect health care providers’ right of conscience. They will ensure that, instead of being overlooked, these conscience protection statues will be strongly enforced by the government in the same manner as our other civil rights laws.

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said, “Doctors and other health care providers should not be forced to choose between good professional standing and violating their conscience” (Rosetta/May, Salt Lake Tribune, 12/18).

In our country and across the world, incidents of religious oppression have continued to be an issue in the health care industry as the freedom to obtain controversial medical procedures has often superseded religious views of doctors and medical staff whose personal beliefs preclude them from participating in such procedures. Our health care providers have a right to practice good medicine according to their conscience.

Thank you to the Bush administration and Mike Leavitt for taking a stand and providing verification of the right to conscientiously refrain from objectionable mandates.

This gift does not come without a price. Already the negative rhetoric and opposition to the rule is mounting. Planned Parenthood calls the move “an attack on women” and mere “political games.” Speculation as to how long it will remain in force once President Elect Obama takes office is yet to be seen. Religious freedom is never just political games. It’s a freedom worth the fight.

—Beetle Blogger

It’s not right to force others to act in a way that is contrary to their beliefs, yet in many countries, including ours, this has happened and continues to happen. This worldwide list of incidents of conscientious repression was compiled by Consciencelaws.org